Rigorous assessment for promotion of varsity, college teachers

New Delhi: Nearly five lakh university and
college teachers across the country will now have to pass
through rigorous performance assessment, which includes their
output in research, to get promotion.

The UGC has put in place Regulations on Minimum
Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic
Staff in Universities and Colleges.
"New benchmarks have been set with respect to teaching and
research requirements. Teachers will be given points on the
basis of their output which will help get them promotion," UGC
Chairman Prof Sukhadeo Thorat told reporters.

There are around 500 universities and 20,000 colleges in
the country.

As per the regulations, an assistant professor can get
promotion to associate professor after completing a minimum of
12 years including three years in the grade pay of Rs 8,000.
The teacher, if he does not have M.Phil or Ph.D, needs to have
three publications. Teachers in colleges with M.Phil or Ph.D
need to have two and one publication respectively during their
tenure.

Similarly, an associate professor will be eligible to
become professor after three years. In colleges, each PG
department will get a professor`s post.
The experience of teachers in ad-hoc and temporary
positions will be considered while giving them promotion.

Universities and colleges will set up their internal
quality assessment cells to assess the performance of the
teachers. These cells will keep the annual database for
individual and institutional performance.

An UGC committee, which prepared the regulations, has made
certain separate recommendations which will have to be taken
to the Cabinet for approval.

It has favoured increase in the salary of Vice Chancellor
from Rs 75,000 currently to Rs 80,000 per month.

The UGC committee has suggested that the cap on promotions
to senior professors in universities should be increased from
10 per cent to 40 per cent.

Federation of Central Universities Teachers Association
had earlier opposed to provision of UGC nominees in selection
committees in universities. This demand has been accepted.

"The thrust is to attract best students to teaching
profession and ensure quality," Sunil Kumar, Additional
Secretary in Ministry of HRD, said.